News

“Do as I Say, Not as I Do.”:The Scott Walker Standard for Ethical Conduct

Posted November 29, 2012

In 2006, trumped-up fraud charges were brought, and later dismissed, against a low-level state employee who had actually been appointed by a former Republican administration.

At the time, then-gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker had strong words on his standards for ethical conduct of elected officials in Wisconsin, releasing the following statement to WisPolitics.com:

Statement from Milwaukee County Executive and Candidate for Governor Scott Walker on the Indictment of one of Jim Doyle’s Top Aides in the Department of Administration:

“The indictment handed down today shows how corruption can infiltrate all areas of government.

Unfortunately we have a Governor and administration that condones unethical and illegal behavior. The people of Wisconsin deserve better.”

“Today’s indictment provides further confirmation that the Doyle administration is damaged and must be removed from the Capitol. Jim Doyle’s political connections to this aide are, without question, mentioned as a defining piece of the evidence used to bring forth this indictment.” …

“Governor Doyle needs to purge his administration of individuals who place politics and special interests ahead of the people of Wisconsin….

“Little can be said to underscore the seriousness of this charge. I am hopeful that the people of Wisconsin will allow me the opportunity to clean up Madison with the same fervor that guided my reform movement in Milwaukee County.”

“Dating back to the caucus scandal, Scott Walker has had plenty of examples of what is and is not ethical conduct in public office, and he’s had plenty of opinions on the conduct of others,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said Friday. “But now that his own unethical conduct has been exposed, Scott Walker seems to be afflicted with a severe case of ‘do as I say, not as I do.’”